The Right Time
by crassreine
Summary: High-school wasn't that different from junior-high. Except it wasn't the same at all. BL, FujiRyo, Thrill.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis

**A/N:** Thrill and something that has existed in my computer for, perhaps a year, if not longer. Critique, comments, opinions, all kinds of reviews happily accepted.

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Ryoma walked on to the street courts and was greeted by the sight of a doubles game in progress. He soon recognized the people in the other team as Ryuzaki Sakuno and Tachibana Ann. Even though Ann was pretty good they were losing. It might have had something to do with the fact that they were playing against Momo and Kaidoh, but they wouldn't have been losing that badly if Sakuno wasn't Ann's partner. After all these years playing tennis, she still pretty much sucked at it.

Ryoma sat down on the concrete steps and kept watching the game. After a while Sakuno noticed him watching and waved, smiling. Ryoma waved back and looked up when a shadow covered him. The sun was right behind the figure, hiding the face, but Ryoma still knew who it was.

"She's always liked you, you know," Fuji's voice was gentle. Ryoma could see his soft smile in his mind; imagine it by simply listening to the voice. "I think she still does."

"I know," Ryoma told his sempai, returning his stare towards the two girls further away, not wanting to twist his neck in an awkward angle, just so he could see Fuji.

Fuji sat next to him and leaned on the upper stair with his elbows, legs extended before him, ankles crossed. Ryoma glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, not turning his head. Eyes closed, a gentle smile on his face, Fuji looked like he was lying on a beach thoroughly enjoying the warm sun, not sitting on a cold and uncomfortable cement stair, surrounded by Tokyo's young tennis players, all eager to test their strength against each other.

It was truly annoying, how Fuji could seem at ease anywhere, no matter the surroundings.

"If you know, why not tell her you do not like her? It is mean to keep her hopes up," Fuji said and turned to look at Ryoma, eyes opening once he caught the boy observing him.

Ryoma quickly diverted his eyes from the older boy and muttered, "Why do you think I don't like her?" he asked.

Fuji sat up, his surprise evident in his eyes. "You like her?" he asked.

Ryoma shrugged. "I like her." He didn't bother saying any more of it and Fuji might have asked, if the boy hadn't stood up. "See ya' Fuji-sempai," he said and walked over to the tennis courts.

Fuji's gaze wandered to Sakuno, who was smiling at Ryoma.

Fuji stayed where he was, watched as the girls finished their game and collected their things, Sakuno heading towards Ryoma who greeted her with a nod and a small smile.

He sat there, watched Sakuno and wondered why he cared so much that Ryoma liked her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** If nothing drastic happens, or I do not spot a horrible mistake/plot hole, this will be five chapters long, and updated every few days or sooner.

Reviews are lovely things. Please review. Concrit especially is more than welcome. Or just plain critique.

* * *

"Fuji."

"Hmm?" Fuji answered Tezuka, not looking up from the green covered book.

"We are at practice," Tezuka said with a calm voice.

"I know," Fuji answered and turned a page.

"We are at practice and you are reading," Tezuka's voice, strangely, remained calm. "You are reading. At practice."

"That's right Tezuka. I'm reading. At practice." Fuji closed the book and stood up from the bench he'd been sitting on. "But I'm done now. I'll just go put it back where I found it."

Tezuka followed Fuji with his eyes as the other boy went to the club room, passing Inui on the way.

"Tezuka," Inui approached the stern looking captain warily. "Have you seen my notebook? It appears to be missing."

Tezuka blinked. "I'm sure if you look again, you'll find it back where you left it," he told Inui before heading to the courts.

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Fuji placed the notebook back in Inui's bag, sighing. It hadn't helped, reading Inui's notes. Guess it was too much to hope that Inui might have noticed something that even he hadn't been aware of. But besides Inui's sometimes eccentric side-notes, the notebook had only contained notes on everyone's tennis and their general progress.

"What are you doing, Fuji-sempai?" Ryoma's voice asked from behind him and Fuji closed Inui's locker, turned to look at Ryoma, undisturbed, smiling. The boy's eyebrow twitched.

"I was going through Inui's things without his permission and reading personal notes that had been meant only for his eyes. Why?" he cocked his head to the side.

"I thought it might be something like that. But I figured I'd ask just to be sure," Ryoma said, turned around and left the clubroom, Fuji trailing after him. They passed a confused Inui on the way to the tennis courts, heading to the club room.

"You're not going to ask me anything more?" Fuji tilted the boy's cap to cover his face and laughed softly when Ryoma glared at him after straitening his cap properly.

"What's the point?" Ryoma asked. "You wouldn't tell me the real reason anyway."

Fuji was stunned. Ryoma was right, he wouldn't.

"Che," Ryoma walked away when Fuji just kept staring into space.

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The next day at lunch, Fuji poked at his bento, not really hungry. His eyes kept trailing to where Ryoma sat with his class mates, Sakuno across from him.

Despite his words, the boy didn't act like he had a crush on Sakuno. He hardly even looked at her and only glared every now and then at the other girl, Tomoka, who couldn't seem to be quiet even for a second.

Fuji ate his lunch in silence, hardly listening to Eiji as the redhead told him all about the puppy their neighbour had gotten and how cute it was and how nice it was that the neighbour let Eiji play with the puppy and maybe watch it sometime when the neighbour went on a trip.

Fuji saw Sakuno get up, spotted the dumpling on the floor before the girl stepped on it and fell. Some laughed and Sakuno blushed from embarrassment. Ryoma glared at one boy he saw laughing, got up from his seat and helped the girl stand. Their hands clasped together longer than was necessary and Ryoma spoke something that made the girl blush again, but now there was a slight smile on her face. Ryoma returned the smile to her. They left together.

"Hoi Fuji! You just snapped your chopsticks!" Eiji shouted.

Fuji looked down at his hands and let out a weak chuckle. "How careless of me," he murmured. "I can't finish my lunch with broken chopsticks," he said and stood up, left before anyone had a chance to offer another pair of chopsticks to him.

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Nothing unusual happened at practice the next day, though Inui kept throwing cautious glances at his direction, while clutching his notebook to his chest. Fuji wasn't all that sure, but he suspected it had something to do with the scribbles of Tezuka Sadaharu and Inui Kunimitsu he'd noticed at the end of the notebook, along with multiple hearts.

Wishing to be rid of that particular thought and the images it generated in his mind, he focused his attention on the practice game between Ryoma and Eiji that was going on in one of the courts. Soon Tezuka came to stand next to him, hands folded across his chest, eyebrows furrowed. "Kikumaru isn't playing at his best. Echizen shouldn't be able to get points off him so easily," Tezuka said and looked at Fuji for confirmation.

Fuji was startled. He had no idea what Tezuka was talking about. He hadn't noticed anything wrong with Eiji's game; Ryoma was playing fine as far as he could tell.

Oh, that was it. He hadn't been looking at the game; he'd been looking at Ryoma.

"Hmm," Fuji went, hoping it was enough for Tezuka. He didn't dare to speak now, not knowing what might come out of his mouth, if the inconsistence of his thoughts was any kind of implication.

"Do you know if anything is bothering him?" Tezuka asked.

"No. Why ask me?"

Tezuka turned to look straight at his closed eyelids. "Because you are his friend," Tezuka said.

"Mhhmh, no, I haven't noticed anything. His neighbour has a new dog," he told Tezuka the only thing he remembered about Eiji's excessive ramblings at lunch.

"I know that. I was there when he told everyone about it," Tezuka said. "Are you alright?" Tezuka frowned.

"Just fine," Fuji smiled and returned to look at Ryoma. No, the game. He was looking at the game. What was wrong with him?

The game ended with Ryoma scoring the last point. Eiji whined, but grinned at the boy and glomped him when they met by the net to shake hands. Only when he noticed Tezuka staring at him did Fuji realize he had been glaring murderously at Eiji. "Eiji drowned one of my cactuses," Fuji said, hoping that was a good enough reason in Tezuka's mind for him to be mad at the red head.

"I'm sure he'll buy you a new one if you ask."

Eiji already had. "It won't be the same," he sighed sadly.

Tezuka snorted, a reaction that usually would have made him the centre of Fuji's attention, but he was distracted by the dazzling smile Ryoma was sporting, heading towards them. The smile took Fuji's breath away, he'd never seen anything so enticing in his life, much less expected to see an expression like that on Ryoma's face.

Enchanted, Fuji returned the smile, feeling the butterflies in his stomach increase which each step Ryoma took towards him. His eyes searched for Ryoma's, only to find that the boy wasn't looking at him. His gaze was directed to somewhere on Fuji's left.

For a horrifying second Fuji wanted to strangle Tezuka. He turned to look at his friend, to find himself a subject of close inspection. Behind Tezuka, Fuji saw Sakuno. She lifted her hand to a greeting and her smile grew brighter once Ryoma reached her.

Fuji felt a dull ache in his chest when the pair exchanged cautious smiles.

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A game with Ryoma, Fuji decided, was what he needed. Maybe his recent distraction with the boy had something to do with tennis. Everything in their lives seemed to revolve around tennis, so why not this as well? Besides, it made sense. He'd only ever gotten to play the boy once. Something had always gotten in the way. Another tournament or a rival that stole all their focus.

"Ryoma-kun," Fuji crept upon Ryoma as the boy was practicing by hitting a ball against a wall.

"What is it, Fuji-sempai?" Ryoma asked, not looking at him.

"It's been a while since we've played, hasn't it Ryoma-kun?"

Ryoma turned to stare at Fuji, letting the ball fly pass him and looked at Fuji with an eager glint in his eyes. "You wanna play?" he grinned.

Fuji chuckled at the boy's eagerness. It felt good to know that despite the years that had passed, Ryoma still considered him as a worthy opponent he wanted to play against. "How about tomorrow? We could go somewhere straight after school."

Ryoma's grin faded. "I can't tomorrow. I promised to meet Ryuzaki."

"Oh." Fuji felt disappointed. "Another day then?"

"Yeah," Ryoma kicked the ground, stuck his hands in his pockets and walked towards the direction he figured the ball had landed.

This was the second time today Fuji was hoping to be in Sakuno's place. He laughed with a desperate note and buried the fingers of his left hand in his hair, leaning for support on the wall with the other one.

Maybe it really wasn't all just about tennis.

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Fuji went home with Eiji, only half listening to what his friend was saying, his thoughts on Ryoma and Sakuno and what their budding relationship had made him realise.

After Tezuka, Ryoma had always been his favourite opponent on the tennis court and as far as company went, Ryoma was much more entertaining than Tezuka. It took a lot of effort just to get Tezuka to lift an eyebrow. It was easy to make Ryoma smirk or glare, fun teasing him. Ryoma reminded him of Yuuta, in some ways. Fuji had always thought of him as a second younger brother, one more easily approachable, who didn't feel so much anger towards him.

But he hadn't felt this way when Yuuta had brought a girl home, obviously smitten by her. He hadn't felt an uncontrollable urge to tear the girl away from Yuuta, make Yuuta direct his smile to him and forget the girl even existed.

And Fuji just couldn't understand how it could be Ryuzaki Sakuno. Sakuno was a sweet girl, strong in her own way, but not in the way that stood out in a crowd, the way that made her shine brighter than others. That was the kind of person Fuji had always known would eventually draw Ryoma. Two stars that were meant to burn each other to cinder. And he finally admitted to himself that he had believed himself to be the other of those stars.

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Like usual, Ryoma arrived with Momo to practice next morning. Fuji was already changed when they both stormed in to the locker room, out of breath. "Are we late? We are late, aren't we? I can't do anymore laps! We can't be late again! This is your fault Echizen! I'm not coming with you to school again if we're late!"

"Calm down Momo, you're not late," Oishi told them, coming in to the locker room with Tezuka.

"I told you we're not late, Momo-sempai," Ryoma went to his locker that was next to Fuji's. He took off his shirt, accidentally brushing Fuji's arm with his hand. Fuji shivered as he felt the touch through his shirt, but Ryoma did not seem to notice anything.

Fuji had no real reason for still staying in the locker room. He had already changed; he should have been out, running warm up laps around the courts. But he could not move away from his spot next to Ryoma. He studied the boy's body closer than he had dared before, watching with silent adoration at the exposed skin, noting the faded tan lines he hadn't noticed before. There was a small scar on the boy's right hip, barely noticeable. He wanted to touch it, feel the difference of the scar and the smooth skin beneath his finger.

"Fujiko! I can't believe you!"

Fuji turned around to look at Eiji, his heart beat thundering in his ears, a crippling fear choking him. Was he caught? Had Eiji seen him, had his hand moved towards Ryoma?

"Nya, you were supposed to come with me this morning! I waited for fifteen minutes!" Eiji yelled.

"I'm sorry Eiji, I forgot," Fuji smiled at his friend, relief rushing through him.

"All of you, stop loitering and get out," Tezuka barked.

"Yes Buchou," Ryoma said and placed his cap on his head.

Fuji was the last one in the locker room, even if he had been the first to arrive. When he closed his eyes, he could still see the image of Ryoma taking off his shirt. The realisation that being a sempai, a friend, was not all Fuji wanted to be for Ryoma was eating away the self control that he hadn't even known he needed till now.

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That night Fuji called Tezuka and asked him for a game, determined to rid all thoughts of the high school freshman from his mind. A tennis game with Tezuka was a good way to rid his mind of everything. Nothing else seemed to matter when he played with Tezuka, except the game.

When they arrived at the court Tezuka had suggested, it was already occupied by two people, Ryoma and Sakuno. Ryoma was standing next to the girl, explaining something. Sakuno seemed more cheerful and excited than Fuji had seen her in a long time, and Ryoma was not glaring. He was smiling.

"Buchou, Fuji-sempai," Ryoma greeted them.

"Echizen, Ryuzaki-san," Tezuka nodded to them.

"Fuji-sempai, Tezuka-sempai," Sakuno bowed.

Fuji stayed silent, his hand clutching his bag tightly. He forced a smile on his face when they all looked curiously at him. "Hello Sakuno-chan, Ryoma-kun," he tilted his head to the side. "Seems like you beat us here. Now we'll have to find another court, wont we, Tezuka?"

"You can stay here. We were about to get something to eat anyway," Ryoma said. "Coming, Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked the girl.

"Y… yes Ryoma-kun," the girl stammered.

"See you tomorrow at practice Buchou, Fuji-sempai."

"See you," Fuji whispered back. He kept staring after the pair even when they'd disappeared behind a street corner.

"Fuji," Tezuka said in a determined voice.

"Hmm, Tezuka?" Fuji asked, turning his smile towards the stoic boy.

"Deal with it," Tezuka told him.

Fuji stared at him, shocked to the core. What did Tezuka mean, he couldn't possibly know… Fuji couldn't believe he'd be so obvious.

When Tezuka turned his back on him, Fuji felt a rush of anger. "I'm trying! Why do you think I asked you for a game?" He yelled.

"It isn't a problem tennis can solve, Fuji," Tezuka turned back to face him. "I'm surprised you would think that."

"I know that!" Fuji glared at him. "But it helps. Tennis helps. When I play, I don't remember how much I…" Fuji threw his bag on the ground, frustration making his skin crawl. "I know I'm sick, twisted, perverted. I shouldn't be feeling this! It's wrong!"

Tezuka's brows rose in surprise. "You are not sick, Fuji. Or any of those things. Just because you have feelings for someone who's of the same gender, does not make you sick."

"But he's so young!"

"There's two years between you, Fuji. And he is already fifteen," Tezuka told him in a dry voice. "You can't help liking who you like. But you don't have to act on it."

"How can I not?" Fuji asked.

"For one, he seems to be dating Ryuzaki. That should tell you something." Tezuka picked up Fuji's bag and gave it to him. "At least wait until after the school year. You do something stupid now, and it could bring down the whole club."

Fuji snorted. "You ever think about anything else besides tennis, Tezuka?" he asked, his mouth twisting in to a crooked smile.

"I'm not talking about tennis, Fuji. I'm talking about the club. We do not know how Echizen would react to your confession and how it would affect everyone else in the club. One wrong move and it could destroy many bonds between people."

"Of course I know that," Fuji told Tezuka, clutching his bag, looking at the ground. "I'm just not sure if I care."

Tezuka simply sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sakuno is not at all liked. How utterly… Not unexpected.

Reviews of all kind welcomed.

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The week was like every other week. Tennis and school, talks with Yumiko, phone calls to Yuuta, which always seemed to end with Fuji listening to the dial tone. It wasn't anything new for Fuji, yet every time it occurred, it still made his heart ache.

On Thursday he went to get some ice cream with Eiji from a little café and ended up listening to how wonderful Oishi was. Fuji didn't really have anything against the former vice-captain, but he'd still have preferred not to listen when someone praised him non-stop.

Maybe that's why he started it.

"Oishi is so generous, nya, he always buys me ice cream too and an extra scoop if I want it!" Eiji squealed.

"That's nothing compared to Tezuka. If I don't have my lunch with me, he'll offer me his own, even if he has to go hungry," Fuji told Eiji, not expecting to be taken seriously.

"Well… Well Oishi would do that too! And get me a drink! For free!" Eiji smiled proudly, daring Fuji to top that.

"Sometimes he brings dessert for me. Apple pie he made himself."

"Nya, Oishi always pays when we go to the movies!"

"We don't go to movies," Fuji said truthfully. "But Tezuka always cooks when we rent a movie."

"Tezuka cooks?" Eiji asked, aghast.

"Uhm," Fuji nodded. "And does laundry. Everything a good wife should know."

"You're gonna marry Tezuka!" Eiji squealed again and Fuji was starting to suspect Eiji was taking him seriously.

"Well it is the only respectable thing to do after…" he left the words hanging in the air, letting Eiji make his own conclusions. He was sure they would be more entertaining than anything he could come up with.

But it seemed Eiji had a conventional way of thinking. "You had sex with Tezuka?" Eiji hushed.

Fuji smiled wryly, not bothering to answer such a silly question.

"Mou, Fujiko, no fair! I thought me and Oishi would be the first to do it on our team!"

Eiji wasn't getting it. Fuji considered if he should tell Eiji he had only been joking.

While Fuji had been considering it, Eiji had grabbed his phone and dialled a number. "Guess what Inui! Fujiko and Tezuka are doing it!" Everyone in the ice cream shop turned to look at them.

Fuji felt his smile twitch.

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"I cook?" Tezuka asked in a dry voice, the next morning at practice.

"And do the laundry," Fuji reminded him with a weak smile.

"I should have you running laps for rest of practice," Tezuka said.

"You would do that to your boyfriend?"

"Fuji."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I never thought Eiji would take me seriously."

"It's Kikumaru. If you told him cats can sprout wings when wet, he'd believe you."

"You seem awfully sure about that," Fuji pointed out with suspicion. "Is that why Eiji threw water on Echizen's cat last week?" Tezuka didn't answer, but coughed and there was a tell tale blush on his cheeks. "It took days before Echizen finally forgave him."

"I never thought he'd take me seriously. It was just too ridiculous to be taken seriously," Tezuka defended himself.

"My point exactly. Who'd actually believe we're dating?"

"Tezuka, Fuji! You could have told us," Oishi spoke in a happy voice from behind them, standing with Eiji, Kaidoh and Inui. "I was kind of waiting for it to happen, tell you the truth."

"Fshuu, congratulations," Kaidoh hissed, blushed and left.

"Oishi, I-" was all Tezuka managed to say when Inui interrupted him.

"Thinking back on it, I am surprised I didn't figure it out by myself. I mean, with all the clues, it should have been obvious." Inui sounded some what miserable.

Tezuka blinked.

Fuji spotted Momo and Ryoma arriving late to practice, trying to slip unnoticed in to the clubroom. They would probably have gotten away with it too, if Momo hadn't grown interested in the gathering of the seniors and dragged Ryoma with him and asked, "What's going on?"

"That's right Momo, you and O'chibi don't know!" Eiji grinned and glomped Ryoma, who grunted.

"Know what, Kikumaru-sempai?" Ryoma asked, trying to remove the redhead's arms from around his shoulders.

"Fujiko and Tezuka are dating!" Eiji yelled and Ryoma stilled. He directed disbelieving eyes towards Fuji and gave him a look that Fuji wasn't able to interpret. Not knowing what else to do, Fuji gave him a soft smile. That only made Ryoma scowl.

"Who cares? It's got nothing to do with tennis," the kid said and easily shrugged Eiji off him when the redhead blinked at his rude reply.

"Echizen, Momoshiro, why are you still wearing your school uniforms?" Tezuka came back from his daze.

"A ha haa," Momo scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. Ryoma just stared at him expressionlessly.

"Get changed and then you can do fifteen laps for coming late to practice," Tezuka ordered.

"Yes Buchou," Momo was the only one of the two that bothered to answer. Ryoma just turned and walked off to the clubroom.

"What's with O'chibi?" Eiji asked.

"What do you mean? He's always like that," Momo told them before following the younger boy.

"Nya, Inui, don't you think O'chibi's acting weird?"

Inui corrected the position of his glasses and spoke, "There is nothing deviant in Echizen's behaviour. I would have been worried if Echizen had reacted in any way that would indicate he was enthusiastic to any information that is not related to tennis."

"But it's big news! Fujiko and Tezuka are dating!" Eiji persisted.

"I believe the phrase you used earlier when calling me was that they were 'doing it'. Do we really know as a certainty that they are dating?"

"This has gone on long enough," Tezuka interrupted their debate.

"What's going on here?" the club's coach came in to the court. "Tezuka-kun, why hasn't practice started yet?"

"I'm sorry sensei, we'll start right away." Tezuka told their coach and math teacher and yelled his orders to everyone else, "Ten laps, everyone!"

Just before he was about to start on his laps, Inui grabbed Fuji by his sleeve and whispered, "It was an old note book. I've been using the same one for years. Years."

Fuji couldn't help but laugh. Practice was turning out to be quite interesting.

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There wasn't afternoon practice that day, the coach had cancelled it, without giving a reason, but he'd told Tezuka that if anyone wanted to use the courts and the clubroom, they could, but if anything went missing or was broken, it would be Tezuka's responsibility.

After Fuji told Tezuka he'd be willing to stay until everyone had went home, Tezuka gave him the keys with only a little hesitance.

So after a few practice games against a junior who wanted to improve on his smashes, Fuji spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the clubroom bench, going over his history paper, watching other people go home. The history paper was due next week and he wasn't all that pleased with it. History had never really been one of his favourite subjects but he wanted to get good marks in it, like in all his subjects so he could have his choice as to where he would study.

Fuji glanced up from his work when the shower was turned off. He hadn't really registered the constant swishing of water until it had stopped. He looked around and saw that almost everyone were gone. There was only one pair of shoes besides his own left.

"Fuji-sempai? We're the only ones left?" Ryoma asked, coming from the shower, a towel draped around his waist like a short loin cloth, water dripping from his wet hair to his skin, travelling down across his chest and stomach, to be intercepted by the towel. Fuji followed the path of a single drop of water, but soon his focus was back on the boy's face, on his lips.

"It would seem so," Fuji answered. "It's Friday, everyone is eager to get a way from school. I thought you would have hurried too. Don't you have a date with Sakuno-chan?" Fuji hoped the bitterness in his voice had gone unnoticed by the boy.

"It… it's not a date," Ryoma stammered with his words, looking uncomfortable. "Anyway, shouldn't you be hurrying to meet Buchou? I'm sure you have plans." Ryoma snapped back, his uneasiness easily turning into hostility.

Fuji grasped his book a little tighter and focused his gaze on the characters on the page, not looking up when Ryoma strode to his locker that was located right next to where Fuji was sitting. "Well actually…" Fuji fidgeted. "I'm not seeing Tezuka today. Or tomorrow."

"Why? A lovers spat?" Ryoma asked and from the corner of his eye Fuji saw Ryoma take off his towel, place it on his head to cover his wet hair and reach in to the locker for his clothes.

"No," Fuji swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "We never dated. I was just being silly with Eiji and he took me seriously. Before I knew it, he'd already called Inui." Fuji glanced at Ryoma again and saw the boy had stilled with one leg in his boxers, the other bended above them. Fuji couldn't see the boy's face, because the towel was still on his head.

"How come Buchou didn't tell everyone the truth?" Ryoma finally asked, straightening and pulling his boxers on, grabbing his pants next.

"He didn't really have a lot of chances. Every time he tried, someone managed to interrupt him."

Ryoma pulled up the zipper on his pants and started to dry his hair, the towel still covering his face. "You could have told everyone the truth."

Fuji chuckled, a finger pressed on his lips. "I could have," he said and smiled at Ryoma, once catching the boy's gaze. "But that would have made the morning practice less interesting."

Ryoma made a sound that could have passed for laughter, pulled the towel from his head and threw it at Fuji. "You never change, do you Fuji-sempai?" he asked, and this time Fuji was certain it was laughter he heard in Ryoma's voice.

"No, but you wouldn't want me to, would you?" Fuji threw the towel back at Ryoma who caught it and stuffed it in his bag, taking out his shirt at the same time. "And Sakuno-chan? Is everything well with you?"

Ryoma laughed weakly, sat next to Fuji on the bench and started buttoning up his shirt. He never actually looked at Fuji while he spoke. "I guess so. But not the way I thought it would be."

"Meaning?" Fuji asked.

Ryoma shrugged. "Things change, I suppose. We're friends now."

"Friends?" Fuji was more than a little surprised. "But I thought… She's always liked you and…"

"Yeah, well, she said that once she finally got to hang around with me she realized all she really wanted was to be friends." Ryoma pulled his socks on and smirked at Fuji. "Che, girls. Who needs them?"

"Not me," Fuji smiled and Ryoma laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Second to last chapter. These are always fun, aren't they, when you know that everything will be concluded in the next update. Hopefully.

If you spot a possible plot hole, please tell me. I'd hate to leave a glaring mistake in this.

* * *

Tezuka sighed as he saw the youngest member of his team slumbering under a tree. It was still lunch hour, but that would end soon, and if Echizen wanted to stay on the tennis team, he would need to keep his grades at least at an acceptable level. And that wasn't going to be very easy if he was going to be late for his classes because he was napping under a tree.

He was about to go and wake Echizen when he saw a figure standing near the boy, the face shadowed by the tree. It could have been anyone that stood there, watching the boy sleep, but Tezuka knew it was Fuji. No one else would have just stood there, silently watching. They would have woken the boy with a loud shout, or nudged him with their foot. Fuji just watched.

When Tezuka saw Fuji lean on the tree trunk he left for his own class. Fuji would wake the boy eventually, and make sure he would not miss class.

No matter what he knew was right for everyone, Tezuka also knew Fuji wouldn't follow his advice. He would not wait until they graduated, were safely into their new lives. There was a built in need with Fuji to try and muck things up. He couldn't help it. If there was a chance to create innocent havoc, Fuji would take it.

This time the chaos wouldn't be so innocent, but he doubted that would matter to Fuji. He might alienate people, create dispute among the team, but all that wouldn't matter. Fuji wasn't going to let Echizen go easily. He wasn't going to let Echizen go at all, simple as that.

Tezuka knew all this. And still he hoped Fuji would do nothing.

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Ryoma opened his eyes and blinked. The sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the tree wasn't as bright as the one that had shone to his eyes earlier at class that morning, and when he lifted his hand, he saw that the light had given his skin a slight green tint.

"So you're finally awake, Ryoma-kun," Fuji's gentle voice startled Ryoma. He hadn't expected anyone to be there. Usually when he woke in someone's presence they were either screaming at him, or shaking him.

"Don't creep up on people, Fuji-sempai," he muttered, not bothering to get up from his comfortable position on the grass. He heard some noise from his right side and after feeling a presence by him, and hearing his voice from closer, knew Fuji had sat down.

"I wasn't creeping up on you. You just slept so soundly you did not hear me stomping here," the words were light, but the tone of voice was strangely serious. It made Ryoma wonder what was different, but he did not bother to turn his head so he could see Fuji's face and find out.

"What time is it?" Ryoma asked and closed his eyes.

"We still have some time before class," he heard Fuji answer.

"Good," Ryoma mumbled and yawned. Just before he fell back to the world of dreams, he felt a light touch on his forehead, as if a leaf had fallen from the tree to caress his skin.

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Fuji watched Ryoma's breathing slow down as the boy fell asleep. He trailed the boy's forehead with his finger, smiling when the lines evened out as reality no longer demanded the boy's attention.

He was beautiful. Fuji had always known that, but hadn't dared to think it, put the thought in to words. Even though he had long known it, the truth had scared him. It still did.

Fuji's finger travelled from the forehead, to the side of the boy's nose, to his cheeks and stopped by the boy's lips. His finger trembled, as he touched the lips. They were so soft, silky. He wanted to feel them against his own lips, have Ryoma's breath in his mouth, the taste of his skin on his tongue.

Shocked by his own thoughts Fuji withdrew his hand, held it close to his chest and stared at Ryoma's sleeping figure. What would happen if the boy would wake, Fuji's fingers caressing his lips, touching his face in a way no other boy should. Would Ryoma growl out in disgust, hit him? Would it be loathing Fuji would see in those eyes from then on? They would never go back, that he knew. Fuji already knew he could never go back, but there was still a chance to salvage what he had with Ryoma, their friendship.

The boy swallowed in his sleep, his tongue moistening his lips, making them glisten in the sun. He turned to his side, his nose brushing against Fuji's thigh, and the hot breath that came from between his parted lips warmed Fuji's skin even through the thick fabric of his uniform pants. Ryoma's right hand came up and with fingers fisted it landed on his thigh, teasingly close to his crotch. Fuji heaved in a deep breath, grabbed hold of the grass, his fingers burying in to the dirt. He kept his eyes closed for the first time since seeing Ryoma that morning, and wished he wouldn't want so much just to stay here.

When Ryoma shifted, Fuji opened his eyes again and forced himself to relax. His hand returned to Ryoma's face, as if of its own will. He cupped Ryoma's chin, letting his thumb brush against the lips. Fuji bent down, his face hovering over Ryoma. Only a few inches and he would be kissing the boy. His first kiss with Ryoma and the boy would never know.

Sighing Fuji placed a gentle kiss on the forehead and sat up. He tangled his fingers in the boy's hair and rested his head against the tree trunk, soon falling asleep. Ryoma would miss his class, and so would he. Fuji would get a scolding, not only from his teacher but from Tezuka and Eiji. Ryoma too, Fuji mused, but couldn't bring himself to care.

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"Fuji, you idiot," Tezuka muttered as he saw the two boys sleeping under a tree.

When Fuji had not appeared in class Tezuka had guessed what had happened. He had successfully faked a headache to the teacher and with out even attempting to pretend he was heading towards the nurse's office came straight to where he had seen Fuji with Echizen earlier that day.

It was an endearing sight, really. Echizen curled up, his head resting against Fuji's thigh; hand on the older boy's lap, Fuji's hand resting on top of the younger one's head. It would bring a boy and his little brother in to the mind of most people. Tezuka was not most people. He knew better.

Not too gently Tezuka took hold of Fuji's shoulder and shook him. He soon found himself in the gaze of Fuji's dazed eyes. The fair-haired boy blinked and once truly awake, his eyes flew wide open, in shock of seeing Tezuka's stern face so close to his own. "You idiot," Tezuka scolded him with a stern voice. "Do you know that anyone could have seen you?"

"I…" Fuji glanced down on his lap and Tezuka saw his face soften immediately at the sight of Echizen. "I couldn't help it," he said, a smile on his lips.

"Get up," Tezuka ordered.

Fuji was going to argue but one glance at Tezuka's furious face and he knew it wasn't worth it. Gently he placed Ryoma's head on the grass and his smile grew even fonder, if it was possible, when Ryoma made a complaining noise in his sleep, protesting to the loss of his pillow.

Standing now, Fuji was still shorter than Tezuka, but he had always refused to feel threatened by the difference in their physique. He returned Tezuka's furious glare with his own.

"How hard would it really be, letting him finish school in peace, let everyone enjoy this last year together?" Tezuka asked, pleading Fuji to see it from his point of view.

"The first year we were together was the last year together, Tezuka," Fuji told him. "Taka-san is no longer here, hasn't been for years. Kaidoh and Momo made their own bonds during their year alone, away from us, Kikumaru and Oishi are always together, and Inui is-" _Too busy mooning over you to concentrate on anything else,_ Fuji was about to say before he caught himself. It wouldn't do anyone any good telling Tezuka about Inui's crush. "Inui is Inui and you are too busy with your studies to keep your whole focus on the tennis club."

"So is that what this is all about? You feel left out and decide screwing with Echizen's head would be a nice distraction. Have someone who'll be there for you, like a little pet?" Tezuka spat the words out, not even thinking about them. The bitterness in Fuji's voice had made him think it and he feared it was true. Of course he was busy with his studies, it was their final year in high school and it was to be expected things would change over the years. They couldn't remain the same forever.

"No!" Fuji yelled. "You know me better than that Tezuka, or at least I thought you did. My feelings … I think I might…" Fuji glanced back at the sleeping boy and all the anger that had been evident in his face dissolved. "I don't know what they are, but I am not playing," he finally settled on whispering.

"Fuji," Tezuka breathed his name surprisingly gently. He took hold of his friends arm, "Come with me. I'll say I found you in the nurse's office after you'd been taken there because you fainted."

"Fainted? Can't you think of anything a bit more… manlier?"

"Would you rather have diarrhoea?"

When he was sure both were gone, Ryoma opened his eyes. He didn't know what to think of the conversation he'd just heard, wasn't all that sure he understood any of it, except it had something to do with him. He'd woken to hear Tezuka yelling about Fuji making someone his pet and heard Fuji heatedly decline it. Fuji had also said something about his feelings, which was just plain weird.

Ryoma took out his cell phone to look at the time and forgot all about the conversation when he realized he'd missed nearly his whole class. Why hadn't Fuji-sempai woken him?

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"Where were you Echizen?" Horio demanded to know when they were heading for the club after school.

Ryoma shrugged, not answering Horio. He stopped when they turned a corner and the courts came in to view. Fuji and Tezuka were standing together, discussing something. It wasn't an unusual sight, Fuji and Tezuka together. But it was unusual that it bothered Ryoma. Suddenly seeing the two of them together angered him, made him irritated.

They weren't dating, that's what Fuji had said. Still, it wasn't hard to imagine it and easy to understand how Kikumaru-sempai and everyone had so easily accepted it as the truth. There was ease in the way those two communicated, the kind that was sometimes present between the Golden Pair. They were so natural with each other, as if they belonged together.

Ryoma scowled and quickly went to change. He didn't want to look at those two anymore.

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Practice was over and Fuji was putting his uniform jacket back on when Ryoma came inside the locker room, still wearing his tennis clothes. It was just the two of them now. Strange, how that seemed to occur more often these days.

Ryoma paused by the doorway when he saw Fuji and stared at him like Inui sometimes did, when he was trying to gather his data. Fuji felt uncomfortable under that stare, did not enjoy the feeling of being dissected and thought through. He had never liked it when Inui attempted to gather his data, but he could always dismiss Inui easily and make sure he gathered nothing useful. When Ryoma did the same it felt different. Fuji knew that he wasn't as good at hiding his emotions as he had thought himself to be and if Ryoma were to find out like this, with out Fuji getting a chance to speak to him, explain things-

"Fuji-sempai," Ryoma finally spoke.

"Yes Ryoma-kun?" Fuji asked.

"Why are you always with Buchou?" the question was asked in a sour voice and it took Fuji by surprise. He turned to stare at Ryoma, wide eyed, hopeful.

"Does it bother you?" he asked in a soft voice, not taking his eyes off the boy's face, attempting to see under the brim of his cap. "Ryoma? Does it bother you when I'm with Tezuka?" He took a step towards the boy and when close enough, took off his cap. The boy did not resist and Fuji could finally see his eyes.

"Fuji!" Tezuka snapped from the open door and they both turned to look at him. "I need to speak with you. Now!"

Ryoma took back his cap from Fuji's hand and when their fingers brushed Fuji felt a shock go through him. He locked eyes with the boy, to see if he had felt it too. The brown eyes were wide and bewildered. Fuji couldn't help but smile at the boy and nearly leaned in when Ryoma responded with a smile of his own.

"Fuji!" Tezuka yelled again, making Fuji jump.

"Better go Fuji-sempai, Buchou's calling you," Ryoma placed his cap back on his head, went to his locker and slammed its door open.

Fuji was about to say something, but Tezuka yanked him out of the locker room, behind the club room and pushed him against the wall, not releasing his hold on Fuji's arm. Fuji shoved Tezuka's hand off him, knocking Tezuka's glasses off accidentally. Eyes narrowed, Tezuka pushed Fuji against the wall again and prepared himself for a fight.

When Fuji's back slammed against the wall he hit his head and slid to the ground, hands pressed to the back of his head. The sharp pain he felt did not prevent him from yelling, "Why did you have to interrupt? You saw it! He was-"

"He's still a kid!" Tezuka bent down to retrieve his glasses and placedthem back on his nose. "What ever he might be feeling, he's still a kid, they're a kid's feelings." Tezuka grouched down in front of him, not letting Fuji look away from his eyes. "He's not a grown up. Handling things like this isn't something he needs to do at a time like this in his life. Why can't you just let him be a kid, Fuji?"

Fuji pulled his knee up, supported his elbow against it and leaned his forehead against his palm. He took in a deep breath, looking away from Tezuka. "I guess I'm just selfish," he finally answered in a hushed voice.

"You are a good friend, Fuji. The best I have ever had. But you'd make a lousy boyfriend," Tezuka told him. "Still, all that said, I know you probably won't listen to reason, so at least listen to this warning: You mess Echizen and I'll forget years of friendship. He isn't important just to you."

Fuji shot Tezuka a sharp glare. "What do you mean? I'm not going to let you have him," he hissed.

"I don't want him," Tezuka said, making Fuji blink. "Just because someone is important to me, doesn't mean I want to fuck them."

"Jeesh, I never knew you could be so crude Tezuka," Fuji grimaced when grinning made his head ache.

"Come on, we should get to the nurse. Hopefully she's still there," Tezuka offered his hand to him.

"What are we going to tell her when she asks how I hit my head?"

"I saved you from some bullies."

"Why is it that every time you make up a cover story, I end up sounding like a damsel in distress?" There was slight pause before Fuji added, "And if you say 'You look like a girl,' the nurse won't be asking just about my bruises."

"I wasn't going to say that," Tezuka said. "I was going to say, 'Your fragile frame makes you believable as a victim'."

"You're basically saying I look like a girl."

"Well it is the truth."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **So, the final chapter. And I do believe my first non-angsty Thrill.

* * *

Ryoma stepped out of the locker room, willing himself to think of something other than Fuji-sempai and Buchou. But the universe wasn't having it, since the first thing he saw when outside was the two of them. Fuji had an arm around Tezuka's shoulder and Tezuka's arm was around Fuji's waist and they were heading for the school building. They looked like a couple.

"The fuck…?" Ryoma muttered darkly, glaring at their backs. It wasn't that long ago when Fuji-sempai had told him he wasn't dating Tezuka. Thinking back on the time, Ryoma thought he might have heard some regret in Fuji-sempai's voice. So maybe Fuji-sempai really did want to date Buchou and had now gotten what he wanted.

Ryoma looked back at the locker room from where he'd just left and played the scene he'd had with Fuji-sempai all over again in his mind. Maybe it had been an attempt on Fuji-sempai's part to make Buchou jealous? If so, it seemed to have worked. Buchou had seemed furious when he'd dragged Fuji out of the locker room.

"It's not like it has anything to do with me…" Ryoma muttered and headed home. He had his own problems to deal with and if he started wondering about Fuji's life, he suspected he'd go insane. Fuji-sempai was a little weird. Actually little didn't cover it. Fuji-sempai was really weird.

And so was Sakuno. Everyone in Ryoma's life was weird, he admitted, but those two had made his life more complicated with their weirdness.

Ryoma and Sakuno had played tennis together, watched tennis matches on TV together, went shopping for tennis equipment and Ryoma had been having the time of his life. He hadn't known it could be this fun to have a girlfriend. If he'd had, he would've asked her out sooner.

Then one day Sakuno had shocked her by saying, _"We never do anything else but play tennis, talk about anything but tennis. Can't we do something else, like go cycling?"_ Ryoma thought Sakuno knew him! Ryoma _was_ tennis! What could be more fun than tennis?

"_Sure, let's go cycling,"_ Ryoma had agreed.

Sakuno brought lunch on their trip, Ryoma his tennis bag. It had been a great day. They found an empty tennis court, played some tennis and ate the lunch Sakuno brought with her and watched the sunset while holding hands.

"_Ryoma-kun,"_ Sakuno had whispered and Ryoma had turned to look at her, liking the way the last rays of sun coloured her face with red gold. Sakuno had smiled and looked at him as if waiting for something. Sighing, she had leaned closer and Ryoma asked,

"_You think we still have time for another game before we have to head home?" _

"_Uh?"_ Sakuno's smile had turned crooked and she'd pulled away. _"Why not?"_ She'd answered and pulled her hand free from Ryoma's grasp. Ryoma remembered feeling like he'd lost something then, but it hadn't been clear what until they'd stopped before Sakuno's home and she'd spoken again, sounding more mature than ever before. _"Ryoma-kun… I think we should be friends, don't you?"_

Friends, Ryoma remembered thinking, wasn't the same as being a girlfriend and boyfriend. _"Friends, huh?"_ Ryoma had asked.

"_Close friends, Ryoma-kun, but… friends."_ She'd smiled in the same way she had smiled earlier when they were watching the sunset and Ryoma remembered thinking again how mature she looked. Like she'd grown up faster than him in the last minutes.

He'd watched her lead her bike away, feeling numb, wondering why he wasn't more heartbroken. He should've been, after just breaking up with his girlfriend. Ryoma knew from everyone else that he should have been moping in his room, listening to sad music and rereading Sakuno's messages on his phone and watch mournfully at all the pictures they'd taken together. But he didn't see the point since he was seeing Sakuno at school tomorrow like every other day and they would still play tennis and watch matches together. They were still friends, after all.

Ryoma stopped in his tracks and blinked. He finally understood why Sakuno thought they shouldn't be together. It was because Ryoma wasn't heartbroken and he should've been.

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When he got home, Ryoma didn't bother searching for his family members to inform them he was home and just headed straight for his bedroom. He sat down by his desk and took out his school books. A yellow piece of paper with little pink hearts drawn on to it was lodged between the pages of his math book, marking his place. Sakuno had given it to her and somehow Ryoma wasn't willing to part with it. Even after what he'd realized on his way home, he still wanted to keep it.

Ryoma sighed and placed his math book aside. His mind was too chaotic now, for him to focus on it.

His history books went on the same pile, as well as English and every subject he took out of his school-bag.

Finally he gave up on homework and went downstairs. Hearing noise from the kitchen he poked his head in there. His mother was sitting by the kitchen table with his cousin. "Oh, Ryoma, you're home already," his mother smiled at him, still dressed in her suit, her briefcase on the table. "Your cousin will be staying with us for a while since her apartment is being painted."

"Fine," Ryoma answered and sat next to Nanako.

"It'll be just like when you were a kid, Ryoma-san," Nanako smiled at him.

"He's still a kid, Nanako," Rinko smiled and Ryoma frowned at his mother, making her laugh. "You'll still be a kid to me when you have children and a mortgage, Ryoma."

"Che," Ryoma huffed and fled the kitchen to the living room. It was no better there; his dad was lounging in front of the TV, watching women's mud wrestling. "Does mom know you're watching that crap?" Ryoma asked just as the other woman on the screen threw the other one over her shoulder, making his dad jump.

"Keep your voice down, kid!" His dad ordered him.

"Che, she won't hear. She's talking with Nanako in the kitchen," Ryoma told his dad, not sure why he was suddenly feeling so generous towards him.

Nanjiroh blinked at him, said, "Thanks kid," frowned and returned to watching his show.

Ryoma stood there a few seconds, went back to the kitchen and sat beside his cousin again. "What's wrong, Ryoma?" his mom asked when Ryoma didn't say anything.

"I don't have anything to do," Ryoma answered.

"Why don't you go watch something on TV?" Rinko asked.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"Dad's watching mud wrestling," Ryoma answered and went back upstairs to his room.

"No, womaaan! Give me back that remote!" Ryoma heard his father yell just before he closed his door. He smirked, feeling much better.

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"Aren't Thursday's great!" Katsuo beamed at them when the teacher released them from their last class.

"What's with him?" Ryoma asked Kachirou.

"Tomoka promised to go on a date with him this Thursday," Horio answered instead. "You think Sakuno'd go out with me now that she dumped you, Echizen?"

Ryoma turned and glared at Horio. He didn't say a word, just glared.

"Well, do you?" Horio asked again.

"Ah, Horio-kun, maybe you shouldn't…" Kachirou placed his hand on Horio's shoulder, hoping he'd get the hint and shut up before Ryoma blew up.

"I love Thursdays!" Katsuo yelled again and salvaged the situation by throwing his arm around Ryoma's shoulders and dragging him with him towards the tennis club.

"Shit, that was close," Kachirou muttered.

"What?" Horio asked.

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Ryoma was officially hating practice now.

It started nice enough. The girls passed by their court and Sakuno waved at him. Ryoma hesitantly waved back, still a little unsure about how to treat her. As just another friend? Or maybe he should just ignore her for the next few years they'd be going to the same school.

"She really is cute, isn't she?" Horio asked him. "How could you mess it up so bad that she dumped you, anyway? She's had a crush on you like forever!"

Just when Ryoma was ready to kill Horio, Kikumaru came and jumped on him. "O'chibi, you look so gloomy!"

"Kikumaru, Echizen! Stop playing around! This is practice, not a playground!" Tezuka yelled at them.

"Don't be so harsh on them, Tezuka," Fuji smiled at Tezuka.

"Tezuka, we need to discuss the line-up for the regional matches," Inui appeared at Tezuka's shoulder.

"That's not for a while yet, Inui," Tezuka told him and was about to turn back to Fuji.

"But this is important, Tezuka. I have some more data gathered on the team we'll be facing," Inui took hold of Tezuka's arm and directed him away from Fuji.

Kikumaru dragged Ryoma with him to Fuji, who was chuckling to himself. "Hoi Fuji, Inui stole your boyfriend! And you're just chuckling!" Kikumaru shouted. "Aren't you jealous?" he whispered.

Fuji blinked at Kikumaru. "Oh, I didn't tell you, did I? I'm not dating Tezuka."

"Why not?" Kikumaru asked. "You're perfect for each other! Now Oishi and I don't have anyone to go on a double date with!" he whined.

"Eiji!" Oishi yelled. "We haven't told everyone we're dating," he hushed and glanced around, face red. He was a little confused when no one seemed shocked by the announcement.

"Don't worry about it, Oishi-sempai. Everyone already knows you're dating," Ryoma told him.

"They… they do?" Oishi asked.

"Yeah. I've known ever since I first came here," Ryoma told him.

"But… We didn't start dating until a few weeks ago," Oishi stammered.

Ryoma didn't know what to say to that, and neither did anyone else, so they just stood there, the four of them, with an uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

"I'm gonna go run some laps now," Ryoma said, when it got too much for him. After he left, Kikumaru and Oishi turned to look at Fuji, who, after attempting to keep his smile alive and failing, said,

"I think I'll join him," and ran after Ryoma, soon reaching the boy.

"They've only been together for two weeks," Ryoma said when Fuji reached him. "I was sure they were a couple when you finished junior-high."

"Eiji and Oishi, they… Have always been attached to each other, but it took them a long time to realize that what they had was much more than friendship. It's not that unusual," Fuji told him.

"Yes it is," Ryoma disagreed. "They've liked each other for years, but you're telling me they didn't get it until a few weeks ago? That's just…" Ryoma tried to think of a word that would sum it up, but finally settled on just shrugging and saying, "Stupid."

Fuji felt a sting at Ryoma's choice of word and faltered in his steps. "You… really think it's stupid?" he asked, voice wavering.

"What else?" Ryoma shrugged again.

"So I'm stupid," Fuji said.

"What?" Ryoma asked; turning around to look at him, jogging with his back turned.

"Nothing," Fuji smiled.

"No, you said something."

"It was nothing, really. Maybe you should turn around Ryoma-kun," Fuji warned him.

"I'm not turning until you answer me," Ryoma frowned.

Next thing he knew, he was eating dirt. He'd forgotten the tree branch they ran past every day. It hung low and everyone on the team had to crouch so they didn't hit their head on it when they were running laps. It was easy to spot and no one had ever bothered with removing it, since no one had ever hit their head on it. Then again, before Ryoma, no one had ever tried running laps backwards.

"I did warn you, Ryoma-kun," Ryoma heard Fuji say through the sharp pain in his head. He groaned and tried to get up, but was pressed back down by a gentle pressure on his chest. "Stay down," Fuji said. "Tezuka's already called the coach; he'll come and see you soon."

"What is it with you and Buchou?" Ryoma grumbled, even though every word he spoke made his head hurt even worse. "You dating him after all?"

"And if I am?" Fuji asked.

Ryoma turned to glare at Fuji from under the brim of his cap.

"I'm not." Fuji finally said. "I'm not dating Tezuka. I'm not dating anyone."

"I didn't ask if you were single. All I wanted to know is if you were dating Buchou or not," Ryoma mumbled, making Fuji chuckle.

"Are you free tonight?" Fuji asked.

"Che," Ryoma scoffed and turned his head away. Fuji took it to mean 'yes'.

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"What's wrong with you kid? Is Karupin sick again?" His father asked when Ryoma spent all evening walking from upstairs to downstairs, from inside the house, to the outside. Ever since he got home the boy had been on edge and it was starting to grate on Nanjiroh's nerves.

"Nothing. He's fine," Ryoma said and got up from the couch where he'd been able to sit still for a whole minute and went to the hall, opened the door and stared at the gate. He stared at it until his mother came and closed the door.

"It's getting chilly, Ryoma. Come into the kitchen, I'll make us some tea and you can tell me all about it," Rinko smiled at her son and directed him towards the kitchen. Nanjiroh opened his mouth to say something, but a sharp look from Rinko shut his mouth.

When Ryoma was finally sitting patiently beside the kitchen table, a steaming cup of tea before him, Rinko asked, "Now tell me, what is it? Is it about Sakuno? Are you worried you made the wrong choice?"

Ryoma frowned. "No, it's not about Sakuno. Besides, it's not like she asked me what I wanted when she dumped me," he grumbled.

"Then what is the matter? You are making everyone in this house restless with your behaviour," Rinko said.

Ryoma sighed, not sure how to explain it to his mother, since he really didn't understand it himself. It's not like Fuji had even said he was coming, he'd just asked if Ryoma was free. Of course the question did imply that he wanted to know if Ryoma was free because he wanted to do something with Ryoma. Even so, it was no reason for Ryoma to feel so anxious. It was ridiculous. Just because his sempai might come around to see if he wanted to do something Ryoma was feeling just as nervous as he'd felt when he'd waited Sakuno to tell him if she wanted to go out on a date.

Which was just ridiculous, really. He didn't want anything like that with Fuji-sempai, and was sure neither did Fuji-sempai. It wasn't like this was a date or anything. It wasn't. That is, it wasn't a date, if Fuji-sempai would even show up, and that wasn't all that certain. He could have just been asking if Ryoma was free just because he wanted to know, and nothing more. Fuji-sempai was weird like that.

"There's someone here to see you, Ryoma-san!" Nanako yelled from the hall and Ryoma jumped up from his seat, his stomach in a knot and his heart beating rapidly.

"Hello Ryoma-kun," Sakuno smiled at him from the kitchen doorway, and Ryoma felt something akin to disappointment. "I thought you might like to play some tennis," she said and Ryoma noticed the tennis bag she was carrying.

Ryoma had thought he'd have a more competent tennis partner tonight, but it was getting late and if Fuji-sempai was going to show up, he'd have shown up already. "Sure," he shrugged. There really wasn't anything better to do.

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Fuji had never been to Ryoma's house, and the only reason he knew where the boy lived was because of Momo.

One day, when Fuji was in the middle of his second year and Momo in his first, they had gone to Momo's house with Eiji. Fuji had already forgotten the reason why the three of them were going to Momo's house, but he had not forgotten what had happened when they passed a house with a temple on its grounds.

Momo had stopped and smiled at the house. _"Echizen lives here,"_ he'd told them. _"I still sometimes stop in the mornings and wait for him on my way to school. Kind of stupid, ha?"_ He'd laughed and scratched the back of his head the way he did when he was feeling self conscious. Eiji had laughed at Momo, but Fuji had only smiled and said nothing, since he saw nothing stupid about it. Fuji had wished he'd known where Ryoma had lived, so he could have come here and done the same. He remembered wishing he'd known more about the boy who had such a deep impact in all their lives.

It amazed him now that he had not then understood what he now knew. That his affection for Ryoma was deeper than any he had felt for anyone, even for Yuuta. But like any other human, Fuji had not seen it, until he nearly lost it.

Shaking his head Fuji banished the depressing thoughts and focused on the present. A smile, a genuine smile rouse on his face and with every step he took towards Ryoma's home, his smile only grew brighter. Today might be the day that everything would change for him and Ryoma. It could be the beginning of everything he had wished for. Maybe then he wouldn't even have to ask if Ryoma was free, because his nights would always be free for Fuji.

Fuji's smile slipped away from his face when he turned the corner and saw Ryoma leave his house with Sakuno. "That little slut!" Fuji shouted out loud and immediately smacked his hand over his mouth. He couldn't understand how such words could come out of his mouth, and especially not when they concerned Ryuzaki Sakuno, a girl he knew to be a sweet and shy, who thought of nothing but the best of everyone.

That still didn't change the fact that Sakuno had taken Ryoma away when it was meant to be Fuji's time with him. And why was Ryoma going with her? He knew Fuji was coming.

Maybe Fuji had read everything wrong, what he had thought was attraction from Ryoma was just Fuji reflecting his own feelings on to the boy, seeing what he wanted to see when in reality there was nothing.

But even Tezuka had seen it, warned him not to hurt Ryoma. How could they both have been wrong?

Fuji sighed, his eyes following the pair. He very nearly followed them, like an obsessed stalker.

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"Ryoma-kun," Sakuno called out to the boy walking a few steps a head of her, but got no reaction. "Ryoma-kun. Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno finally yelled and grabbed the boy's arm.

"What?" Ryoma asked, frowning.

"Is… everything alright? You're not angry with me, are you?" Sakuno stammered and lowered her head.

Ryoma let out a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding and shook his head. "Maybe," he muttered. "No, not really. It's not your fault I didn't know any better," Ryoma kept his voice low. It wasn't easy to tell Sakuno something like that.

He looked up when he felt a soft touch on his cheek. Sakuno was smiling brightly at him. "I'm happy you're not angry with me, Ryoma-kun. I still want to be your friend."

"Me too," Ryoma said.

When Ryoma turned away again Sakuno let her smile slip. It hurt, being mature.

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Ryoma ended up spending the whole night with Sakuno. When they were finished playing tennis they went to buy some ice cream and waited in a nearby park until Sakuno's mother came to pick her up.

By the time he was home, the sun was already disappearing behind the horizon and the shadows near his house had grown long. He didn't see the figure standing next to their gate and his heart jumped to his throat when a hand drew him to the darkness that the wall surrounding their house had created on the sidewalk.

The stranger was taller than him, the grip on Ryoma's arm, though strong, wasn't threatening and Ryoma soon felt his fear vanish, even when no words had been spoken and he could not be sure who the stranger gripping his arm was.

"You were with Ryuzaki," the soft voice of his sempai spoke.

"Yeah. So what?" Ryoma scowled and pried his arm from Fuji's hold. "You weren't gonna show up."

"But I did," Fuji answered and his hand released Ryoma's arm.

"I didn't know that. Why did you, anyway?"

"Come?" Fuji asked.

"Came late?" Ryoma added to the question, not realising how much it meant to Fuji with the addition of just that one word.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Fuji whispered. "I should've come sooner, realized much sooner. I'm sorry."

"Just don't do it again," Ryoma told him, and tried to get by him. "Fuji-sempai…" Ryoma whispered, a little worried when Fuji didn't let him pass.

"I promise I won't," Fuji said and shocked Ryoma by pushing him against the wall and pressing the boy between his body and the cold stone of the wall.

"Fuji-sempai…" Ryoma said again, but stopped, when he had nothing to say, so they just stood there, the cold stone behind Ryoma's back, Fuji pressed against him, the light of the sun slowly disappearing. Not until the streetlamps lit up did Ryoma finally move and even then, only to look at Fuji.

Fuji was only looking at him. There was no smile, no expression on his face, no emotion that Ryoma could recognize in his eyes. It should have scared him, Ryoma thought. Most of the rumours that went around in their club, the ones that weren't about the Golden Pair's 'special friendship' and about Tezuka-buchou being a robot were about Fuji's eyes and how you'd be turned to stone if he looked at you with his eyes open.

What Ryoma felt wasn't fear. What he felt wasn't anything he could have described. The closest thing he could think of to describe it was like the calm before the storm. The tension between them created a knot in his stomach and he itched with the want of making something happen, wanted something to happen.

"You make me feel weird, Fuji-sempai," Ryoma finally spoke and pushed against Fuji's chest, not really surprised when the other boy didn't move.

"Weird isn't bad, though, is it Ryoma-kun?" Fuji asked and raised a hand to the boy's cheek, smiling when Ryoma's face pressed against his palm.

"Yeah," Ryoma said, smiled and coiled his fingers around Fuji's wrist firmly. "Weird's alright."


End file.
